Nutritional value of marine yeast fed to larvae of Penaeus monodon in combination with algae

Abstract

Saccharomyces cerevasiae and Rhodotorula aurantica, two marine yeast species, were fed to Penaeus monodon larvae (N6 to M1) singly and in combination with Tetraselmis sp. and Chaetoceros calcitrans in varying proportions. Larvae fed combination diets gave survival rates comparable to or higher than those fed algae or yeast alone. Chemical analyses show that the yeasts have low fat, moderate protein and high carbohydrate content. They also contain essential amino acids but are different in the fatty acids found to be essential for prawns. When used in combination with algae, the nutritional value of the yeasts seemed to have been improved.

The use of marine yeasts in larval rearing could reduce economic and technological inputs in the production of natural foods for larval rearing. They are cheaper and easier to mass produce. They can be grown to very high densities using cheap carbon sources like molasses, brown sugar and coconut water with added nutrients in relatively shorter periods of time.